Quebec locomotive inspected day before disaster, no problem seen

LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec (Reuters) - Inspectors examined the locomotive involved in last weekend's Quebec rail disaster the day before it derailed and exploded but found no problems with it, Canadian Transport Minister Denis Lebel told reporters on Monday.

Lebel said the train was inspected on Friday. Later that night, firemen put out an engine blaze on the train while it was parked and in the early hours of Saturday, it moved off driverless towards Lac-Megantic, the scene of the explosion.

"Transport Canada inspectors inspected the locomotive involved in this event just the day before it happened, on July 5, and found no deficiencies," said Lebel.